The estate of music legend Quincy Jones has sold select music and non-music assets to Harbourview Equity Partners, announced on March 12, 2026. The deal includes stakes in Michael Jackson albums and television productions. The partnership aims to preserve Jones's cultural legacy.
Harbourview Equity Partners announced on March 12, 2026, the acquisition of select music and non-music assets from the estate of Quincy Jones, who died in November 2024 at age 91. The transaction covers recorded music and publishing rights, including Jones's stakes in three Michael Jackson albums he produced: Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Jones likely earned a 10 percent basic royalty from these records, as revealed in past disputes with the Jackson estate, though the Jackson estate was not involved in this deal.
Other assets include Jones's composition 'Soul Bossa Nova,' his co-writing credit on George Benson's 1980 hit 'Give Me the Night,' and songwriting stakes in Kanye West's 'Good Life' (sampling Jackson's 'P.Y.T.,' co-written by Jones) and Tupac's 'How Do U Want It' (sampling Jones's 1974 song 'Body Heat'). Ancillary rights encompass Jones's executive producer role in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as well as theme songs for the crime drama Ironside and the sitcom Sanford and Son. The deal also involves non-music assets like his co-production of the 1985 film The Color Purple, nominated for seven Academy Awards.
The Jones family will partner with Harbourview on future initiatives related to his name, image, and likeness. 'Our father was endlessly curious and always ahead of his time,' stated daughter Rashida Jones. 'HarbourView understands that legacy and has the vision and expertise to help ensure that future generations can feel the full scope of his everlasting impact.' Son Quincy Jones III added, 'HarbourView was the clear partner for our family: Sherrese Clarke’s vision, cultural pride, and mission alignment give us great confidence that our father’s legacy will be thoughtfully protected and carried forward.'
Harbourview CEO Sherrese Clarke described Jones as 'a once-in-a-century architect of culture,' emphasizing the company's $2.67 billion in assets under management and catalogs from artists like Kelly Clarkson and T-Pain. A tribute event for Jones is scheduled for March 13, 2026, in Los Angeles, ahead of the Academy Awards.
Jones's career highlights include producing the 1985 charity single 'We Are the World,' becoming the first Black vice president at a major U.S. record company at age 28, and earning 28 Grammy Awards, one Emmy, one Tony, and two honorary Oscars.
